What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 本当にそうだね is composed of hontō ni (really/truly), sō (so/that way), da (is) and the sentence-ending particle ne (isn't it/right?).
Which one should you use?
The particle ne at the end of the phrase seeks agreement from the listener. Omitting it would change the phrase from a conversational agreement into a blunt assertion.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form 本当にそうだね is informal and should be used with friends or people of lower social status. For more formal or polite situations, you can use まったくです (meaning 'indeed' or 'exactly'), 実にそうです (meaning 'truly, that's right') or the polite version 本当にそうですね where da is replaced by desu. In very casual or colloquial settings, you might use 本当だよ (that's really true), ほんとに (seriously or really) or マジで (seriously or for real).
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase polite, replace the plain copula da with the polite desu, resulting in 本当にそうですね.
How do you pronounce it?
hontō ni sō da ne
Did you know?
- The word 本当 (hontō) is written with characters meaning 'truth' and 'bone', suggesting that the truth is the skeletal core of a matter.
- If you are speaking to a superior, even a polite 本当にそうですね might sound too assertive or opinionated. In professional settings, it is more common to use a simple 'nod' or a humble phrase like 左様でございます to show agreement without appearing to judge the truth of their statement.
- While 本当にそうだね agrees with a speaker, Japanese culture often views repeating the speaker's own words as a more empathetic way to show agreement.
Examples in context
- 本当に美しい庭ですIt really is a beautiful garden
- 本当だよ、すごい映画だIt really is a great movie
- ほんとにIt really is
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are walking through a park in autumn.
- 健太 Kenta今年の秋は、本当に綺麗だね。Kotoshi no aki wa, hontō ni kirei da ne.This autumn is really beautiful, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misaki本当にそうだね。Hontō ni sō da ne.It really is.
- 健太 Kenta美咲さんも、そう思う？Misaki-san mo, sō omou?Do you think so too, Misaki?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、健太さんの言う通りだよ。Un, Kenta-san no iu tōri da yo.Yes, it's exactly as you say, Kenta.
